Chapter 9: The Executive Branch 1
Chapter Links Section 1 The Roles of the President Section 2 The Organization of the Executive Branch Section 3 Presidents and Power 2
Section 1 The Roles of the President Section Outline: I. Creating the Office of President II. III. A Leader With Many Roles Roles Created by Tradition Main Idea: The President of the United States is a very powerful person who plays many roles in the government. However, the President s power is deliberately limited by the Constitution. Key Terms: Executive Branch Foreign Policy Ambassadors Executive Agreements Domestic Policy 3
Creating the Office of President Executive Branch The branch of government responsible for executing or carrying out, the law. Term of Office Four years per term; two term maximum Limited Power Checks and balances Qualifications 35 years of age; natural born citizen; 14 year of residency 4
A Leader With Many Roles Chief Executive Commander in Chief of Armed Forces Chief Diplomat Sets foreign policy and appoints ambassadors Makes executive agreements with other countries Legislative Leader Sets domestic policy; plans for dealing with national problems. 5
Roles Created by Tradition Party Leader Typically the Democratic or Republican party Head of State The President is expected to speak for the whole nation on values and the goals of the American people. 6
Section 2 The Organization of the Executive Branch Section Outline: I. The Executive Office of the President II. The Executive Departments Main Idea: The Independent Agencies The Civil Service System Key Terms: The executive branch of the government includes the President, the White House staff, the Vice President, the executive departments, and the independent agencies. Bureaucracy Administration Cabinet 7
The Executive Office of the President Bureaucracy An organization of government departments, agencies, and offices. Administration A team of executive branch officials The White House Staff Presidents most trusted advisers and assistants The Vice President Presides over the senate; becomes president if the president dies or falls ill. 8
The Executive Departments State the Treasury Defense the Interior Commerce Education Energy Agriculture Labor Housing Veteran s Affairs Justice Health Transportation Homeland Security 9
The Independent Agencies Executive Agencies Under direct control of the President Examples: NASA, EPA. Regulatory Commissions Formed by congress, these twelve commissions make and carry out rules for business and economic activity Example: FCC 10
The Civil Service System In 1883, Congress set up a system by which most government employees (called servants ) are hired on the basis of merit and not political connection Civil Service Exams created Persons with the highest scores on the exam were hired 11
I. Freedom to Take Action Section 3 Presidents and Power Section Outline: II. III. Seeking a Balance Presidential Power Main Idea: The power of the President has expanded since George Washington s time. The President s power is still balanced by the other two branches of the government. Key Terms: Treaties Executive Privilege 12
Freedom to Take Action Treaties Formal agreements between nations Executive Privilege The right to keep some information secret from the Congress of the Courts. 13
Presidential Power The Louisiana Purchase1803 French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte offered President Thomas Jefferson of the United States the Louisiana Territory for the bargain price of $15 million. The Constitution did not say whether the President had the power to buy territory President Jefferson and his Secretary of State James Madison decided since the President had the power to make treaties, he could make a treaty purchasing the land. 14
Presidential Power (cont.) Harry Truman and the Steel Mills Truman unsuccessfully tried to seize control of American steel mills to prevent a wartime strike. Nixon and Watergate Nixon unsuccessfully applied executive privilege to the a special Senate committee and House Judiciary committee investigating an illegal burglary of the Democratic party offices at the Watergate Hotel Nixon, severely implicated, resigned 8/9/1974 15